FanHouse A.J. Smith

When Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman was arrested on charges of battery and false imprisonment, general manager A.J. Smith called it "disappointing." Don't know if he'll be more or less so in light of the most recent news involving Merriman and his accuser, Tila Tequila.

Via 10News.com, multiple sources claim that Tequila "was unhappy that she was not the only woman getting attention from Merriman, and jealousy played a role in the early morning altercation."

So far, it's your typical, run-of-the-mill Springer episode. And then it got spicy.

As the NFL and celebrity worlds await word from Shawne Merriman battery accuser and MySpace/Playboy/TMZ/Perez Hilton luminary Tila "Tequila" Nguyen, San Diego Chargers general manager A.J. Smith offered more insight Tuesday into whether he is disappointed by the alleged altercation last weekend at the linebacker's home.

Longtime San Diego Union-Tribune beat writer Kevin Acee wrote:

Asked specifically whether Merriman would be here through the 2009 season, Smith neither answered the question nor denied the possibility Merriman wouldn't.

"I've already addressed the Shawne Merriman situation," Smith said. "I'm sure when the legal process runs its course, Shawne will update you. As far as his future with the Chargers, which appears to be an ongoing debate, we will let you know right away if his status should change."

Early Sunday morning, Shawne Merriman was arrested on suspicion of physically assaulting Tila Tequila, a model and television personality. He was taken into San Diego County Jail.

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Who moved to the head of the NFL class during the draft? Find out with FanHouse's team-by-team 2009 Draft Grades.

LaDainian Tomlinson and Darren Sproles threw a wrench into the mock-drafting plans of anyone hoping to predict who the Chargers would take in the first round of 2009's NFL Draft; San Diego had obvious defensive needs, but the future at running back was uncertain as well. Of course, lots of folks had them taking Knowshon Moreno, and he was off the board a touch early anyway.

On Saturday, around 6:30 PM ET, commissioner Roger Goodell made his way to the podium at Radio City Music Hall and announced that, with the 16th pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers had selected Larry English, defensive end, out of Northern Illinios.

The pick was immediately met with skepticism; in the weeks leading up to the biggest offseason event on the NFL calendar, most mock drafts had the Chargers taking a running back. Georgia's Knowshon Moreno would have been an obvious choice, but the Broncos' impetuousness took him off the board at No. 12. Which meant that San Diego would have to settle on the second-best back on their board (assuming Moreno was first), or, perhaps, they had every intention of bolstering the defense all along.

With the draft approaching, we ignore projections and identify the dream scenario for each team in a series we call The Perfect Draft.

The San Diego Chargers were one of the earliest contenders to be drafting a running back in the 2009 NFL draft (and they probably would have had their pick, too, if not for those darned kids). But then Darren Sproles got tagged with the old franchiser and LaDainian Tomlinson worked out his feud with A.J. Smith, and, suddenly, the Chargers were back to the secretly-stacked squad that just needs a little defensive help.

Okay, "little" might be off -- it was the absence of Shawne Merriman last year that killed the defense as a whole; without Merriman in the middle of the D to create havoc, the secondary suffered and teams moved the ball almost at will against San Diego. In other words, you should see some defensive picks in this year's draft.

LaDainian Tomlinson and the San Diego Chargers have finally ended their offseason-long soap opera by agreeing on a three-year contract that restructures the running back's original deal.

While "LdT" will take some reductions in his 2010 and 2011 base-compensation numbers, he'll now make the same amount he was originally scheduled to earn in 2009: $6.75 million, which, not coincidentally, is $1.75 million more than Darren Sproles will earn if he signs the team's franchise tender.

It was rumored yesterday that Antonio Cromartie might be on his way out of San Diego, provided that the Chargers could land Drayton Florence, the man Cromartie replaced after Florence left for Jacksonville last year.

But Florence signed with the Bills late Tuesday evening, and A.J. Smith very quickly alerted the media that Cromartie would remain a Charger in 2009.

Antonio Cromartie may have taken a step back last year as the San Diego Chargers' defense struggled without Shawn Merriman to pressure the quarterback and stuff the run. But he's still a freakish athlete and the type of player you would expect the Chargers to hold onto tightly.

Of course, then word on the street (specifically the Bolts Blog) leaks that the team will look to trade Cromartie if/when Drayton Florence, recently released by the Jaguars, signs back in San Diego.

The Chargers franchised Darren Sproles on Wednesday, making him the smallest NFL player who didn't make his living kicking a football to ever receive such a distinction.* For now, he's set to make $6.6 million next season, although San Diego hopes to sign Sproles to a long-term deal.

Those negotiations, however, won't have any bearing on the organization's dealings with its other running back, LaDainian Tomlinson. Earlier this offseason, speculation had LdT playing elsewhere in '09, but it looks like he'll stay in San Diego -- he'll just need to take a pay cut.